Not What They Think
by bobbiejod
Summary: Chandler went on a business trip six months ago and never came back. They get a phone call and everything suddenly makes sense. See what happens as they're all reunited and start to help Chandler on the road to recovery.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: **Six months ago, Chandler went on a business trip and never came back. Everyone had mixed reactions about whether or not he decided to stay away or he had to stay away. Then Monica gets a call one day and everything falls into place about why he stayed away.

**AN: **Just an idea for a story I had. Please let me know what you think. Please R&R!

**Disclaimer: **I own no one. They all belong to Bright/Kauffman/Crane.

**Chapter 1**

Chandler Bing slowly opened his eyes, feeling like he'd slept for a lifetime. He looked around and saw that he was in a stark white room as he heard a loud beeping noise. He looked next to him and saw what looked like a heart monitor that had wires running down and connected to his chest under his hospital gown. He looked down and saw an IV in the back of his left hand and he felt a tube in his nose. He noticed the call button lying beside him on the bed and pressed it. A few minutes later, a nurse came in and smiled at him.

"Hello, sir. I'm glad you're finally awake. We were worried about you." She poured him a cup of water and handed it to him.

"How long have I been out?" he asked her as he slowly took a drink.

"A few weeks," she told him, not wanting him to get upset if he knew too much too soon.

"Is my wife out in the waiting room?"

"She's not here right now, but we'll call her and tell her that you're awake." She told him. "Now I want to ask you a few routine questions to see how alert you are right now."

"Ok." He saw her take his chart and open it up.

"Now can you tell me your name?"

"Chandler Bing." He told her.

"And your wife's name?"

"Monica."

"And where do you live?"

"New York."

"Now what's the last thing you remember?"

"I was headed to Austin for a business trip. We ran into bad weather so the plane was rerouted to Dallas. I hopped a ride on a shuttle car that was driving several passengers to Austin."

"There was an accident." The nurse told him. "Several cars were involved, including the shuttle car you were in."

"And I've been here ever since?"

"Yes."

"And why can't I move my legs?" he looked down at the blanket covering his bottom half.

"You were pinned underneath the shuttle for a long time. We put braces on your legs to stop you from moving them until we could examine you. But you do have movement in your legs."

"Can you call my wife now? I want to see her."

"Of course," she closed his chart. "I'll also page your doctor so he can examine you more."

"Ok." He sighed.

"Just try to rest, Mr. Bing." She walked out of his room and hung his chart in the slot outside his door.

She walked back to the nurse's station and paged his doctor. The other nurses looked at her.

"Is our John Doe finally awake?" Molly asked her.

"Yes. I found out his name and where he lives and his wife's name."

"Thank goodness." Jenna said.

"I was paged." Dr. Harris approached them.

"John doe is finally awake." Nurse Sarah told him. "His name is Chandler Bing, his wife's name is Monica, and they live in New York."

"You try to get in touch with his wife, and I'll see how bad his injuries are."

"I told him he's only been here for a few weeks. I didn't want to upset him if he knew the truth."

"We should probably keep it that way until his wife can get here."

"I'll tell the other nurses." Sarah told him as he walked towards his room and she went to the computer to look up Monica Bing in the database. "Thank goodness. She's listed."

Sarah dialed the number and a female answered on the other end. It wasn't Mrs. Bing, but they handed the phone off to her. She had to try to calm her down as she explained to her what had happened to her husband. She finally heard her say that she would be there as soon as possible. She hung up and sighed as she saw Dr. Harris coming out of Chandler's room.

"I need to get Mr. Bing down to x-ray to see how bad his injuries are." He told them. "Make sure no one gives him anything that could tell him what the date is."

"Of course, doctor." They told him as an orderly pushed Chandler out of his room and down towards x-ray.

Sarah placed Chandler's chart back in the spot on the door to his room and went to do her rounds as she thought about the moment when Chandler Bing first came into the emergency room...

_**Flashback**_

_ It was a quiet day in the ER. That was the kind of day they all preferred. Then the call came over the radio. The driver of an eighteen-wheeler had lost control and plowed through a guardrail taking several other cars with it. The ER had been flooded all day with patients on gurneys coming in for treatments and family members demanding to know how they were doing. _

_ Nurse Sarah looked up as two EMTs by the names of Eric and Justin pushed another gurney into the ER. She rushed over and saw a male in his early thirties. He was all bloody and he was very pale._

"_Status?" she looked at the two EMTs._

"_We believe he's the last victim. He was pinned underneath what looked like an airport shuttle car. He'll definitely need x-rays. There could be possible paralysis." Eric explained to her._

"_All the x-ray rooms are full right now. We'll set up a portable x-ray in one of the exam rooms." She started to push the gurney towards the end of the hall when she noticed the ring on his left hand. "He's married. Do you know his name?"_

"_We couldn't find any ID on him."_

"_Well, let's get the tests done and we'll try to track down his family after everything calms down around here." They pushed him into an exam room and set up a portable x-ray._

_**End Flashback**_

Chandler watched as the doctor came into the room and checked his reflexes. He saw an orderly come in as the doctor told him to move him down to x-ray. He saw the looks they gave each other and wondered what was going on. He needed Monica there. He needed to see her. She was six months pregnant with their child right now. She was probably freaking out about all this; wondering if she would have to give birth by herself if he didn't wasn't out of the hospital in time.

"Excuse me, sir?" he looked at the orderly after the doctor left the room. "Can you tell me the date?"

"I'm not really sure at this point," the orderly told him quickly as he started to push him out of the room. "I've been working for two days straight at least."

"Ok." The doctor came back to them. "X-ray is all ready for you."

"Can you tell me the date?" Chandler looked at him.

"Why don't we wait to get into all that after your tests are done?" the doctor told him as they wheeled him into one of the x-ray rooms.

"Ok." Chandler said softly thinking how strange it was that no one would answer such a simple question for him.

Chandler was getting anxious just waiting in his room for Monica to arrive. The x-rays came back and his reflexes were good and he had more movement in his legs than they all thought he would. He would have to go through rehab and everything else, but the doctor assured him that if he worked hard he would be able to get out in a couple months. But he was getting concerned that something was wrong because Monica wasn't there yet. And all the nurses, orderlies, and his doctor kept dodging all his questions.

Chandler turned over when he heard his door open. He saw a nurse he didn't recognize coming in with his supper tray. She smiled at him as she placed the tray on the moving table.

"How are you feeling, Mr. Bing?" she moved the table over his lap.

"I'm ok. You're a new one."

"I just got on duty," she smiled at him. "My name is Melissa. Do you need anything else right now?"

"Could I get a newspaper? I just want something to read so I can take my mind off things for a bit."

"Sure, thing. I'll be right back with that for you." She left his room as he started to eat.

He was surprised that actually worked. Every time he asked any of the other nurses for a newspaper, they told him they'd get it for him later but they never did.

"Here you go," Melissa came back in and handed him a newspaper.

"Thank you," he opened it up and glanced at the date and had to do a double-take. "Nurse, is this today's paper?"

"Yes. It was delivered this morning." She told him.

"So this is today's date?"

"Yes, it is." She looked at the paper.

"So I've been in a coma for six months?" he started to panic. "My wife has already had our baby. Does she even know where I am?"

"I'm going to get the head nurse," Melissa walked out of the room and returned with the nurse that Chandler knew as Sarah.

"Mr. Bing," Sarah went to him. "I will tell you everything as soon as you calm down."

"I'm as calm as I can get right now," Chandler told her. "So tell me."

"Ok. Yes, you have been in a coma for six months." She told him. "You had no ID on you, so we didn't know who to call. But your wife has been called now, and she's on her way here."

"She was six months pregnant when I left for my business trip. She was alone when she gave birth. She must have been scared out of her mind. I can't believe this."

"It's going to be ok, Mr. Bing." Sarah saw him starting to panic again.

"Here it is," Nurse Molly came in with a syringe.

"Mr. Bing," Sarah saw him get even more worked up and took the syringe. "I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to sedate you."

"No," he shook his head as he saw her inject the needle into his IV, but he stopped protesting when he fell into a deep sleep.

"He'll probably sleep until morning." Sarah looked at Molly. "Hopefully, his wife will be here by then."

"I'm so sorry," Melissa met them out in the hall. "I had no idea-"

"It's not your fault," Sarah assured her. "I should've left a note for you. He had become very sneaky at trying to get one of us to give him the newspaper anyway."

"I almost gave him a paper once, too." Jenna told them. "So will he be ok now?"

"He'll sleep through the night," Sarah told them all. "His wife should be here by morning, and hopefully we can start to get him on the road to recovery so he can finally get out of here."

Sarah sat back down behind the nurse's station and pulled out the chart marked Chandler Bing. She made a few notes on it and returned it to its designated spot. She really hoped Mrs. Bing would be here by morning so they could get all of this sorted out and settled. She had a feeling that only his wife would get him to stay calm.

**AN: **So what'd you think of this story so far? Should I continue this? Please R&R!


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: **Here's another chapter for you guys! This was originally the first chapter, but I changed it because I think it flows better this way. One of my reviewers commented that I didn't like Chandler because I'm always making him hurt or sick in my stories. I think it makes the story more climactic if those kind of events are in my stories. Anyway, please R&R!

**Disclaimer: **I own no one. They all belong to Bright/Kauffman/Crane.

**Chapter 2**

Monica slowly climbed out of bed when she heard the cry through the baby monitor. She made her way into the second bedroom and saw the three-month-old squirming in the crib. She carefully picked her up and walked her to the kitchen to get a bottle from the fridge and warmed it up.

"You look so much like your daddy," she whispered to her as she paced the living room as she fed her and her eyes landed on the framed wedding picture hanging up just outside her bedroom. "Where are you Chandler? Where did you go?"

_**Flashback**_

_ Monica opened the apartment as she carried in some shopping bags. She saw two of Chandler's suitcases sitting by the table._

"_Chandler? I came as soon as I got your message."_

"_Mon?" Chandler came out of the bedroom with a small bag. "Why are you carrying those heavy bags? You're six months pregnant."_

"_I was in the middle of shopping when I got your message." She told him as he took the bags from her. "So what's going on?"_

"_Doug wants me to go to Austin for work." He sighed. "I don't have a choice. If I don't do this, he'll fire me."_

"_So why don't you quit?"_

"_I would. You know I would. But we need the money with the baby coming."_

"_I know." She sighed. "So how long will you be gone?"_

"_Not more than a week. I promise I'll call you at least once a day until I get back here to you."_

"_I know you will." She kissed him before he picked his bags up and started out of the apartment. "I love you."_

"_I love you, too." He smiled at her as he started down the stairs._

_**End Flashback**_

That was the last she heard from Chandler. When she didn't hear from him by the next morning, she tried calling his cell phone but it went straight to voicemail. She called the airline and they told her his name was on the flight list, but they couldn't tell her whether or not he had boarded or not. She called Doug, and he was beyond upset. Chandler had never shown up in Austin. And the company in Austin was very upset with both Doug and Chandler for neither of them showing up.

There was mixed reactions from all their friends about Chandler's disappearance. Monica was convinced that something had gone wrong and that he may have been hurt. Joey immediately came to his best friends' defense saying that he would never abandon Monica and his unborn child. Phoebe, always the eccentric, said that she could feel Chandler trying to get back to them. Ross, on the other hand, said that he had abandoned his sister and unborn niece or nephew. He even brought up when Chandler had panicked and taken off before he and Monica had gotten married. Monica screamed at him for what seemed like hours about how he was over his freak-out and that he was really looking forward to becoming a father. Rachel was conflicted with her feelings. She knew that Chandler would never abandon Monica, but Ross did kind of have a point.

Even now, Ross held to his belief that Chandler had abandoned his sister. But Rachel had come to Chandler's defense when it was revealed that he had set up a trust fund for his unborn child before he left. He wouldn't have done that if he didn't want to be a father. So now Ross didn't hang out with everyone like he used to. And he was banned from both Monica and Joey's apartments.

* * *

><p>Monica looked up from changing Cassidy's diaper as Phoebe and Rachel came in. She heard a lot of yelling coming from the hall as they quickly shut the door behind them.<p>

"What's going on out there?" she asked them as she put Cassidy in the bouncer and turned on the music as she watched the sea animals move around.

"You didn't invite Ross over, did you?" Phoebe asked.

"No. Is he out there?"

"Joey is preventing him from coming in here." Rachel told her.

"Unbelievable." Monica went to the door as she heard a crash and a yell. She opened the door and saw Ross on the floor holding his nose as Joey stood over him. "What happened?"

"He punched me," Ross stood up as blood gushed out of his nose.

"I'm sure you deserved it," Monica told him. "I told you that you weren't allowed over here unless you admitted that you're wrong about Chandler. Are you ready to admit it?"

Ross remained silent as Joey stood beside Monica. He still had his hand clenched into a fist ready to punch him again if he had to.

"Good-bye, Ross." Monica went to go back into her apartment as Joey followed her.

"Can't I even come in to clean up?" Ross asked her.

"Five minutes. That's all you get." She looked back at him as he slowly walked into the apartment.

"What's he doing in here?" Rachel asked when she spotted Ross.

"He's only staying long enough to clean up," Monica went to see how Cassidy was doing as the phone rang. Phoebe went to answer it as Monica saw Cassidy watching the animals on the bouncer intently.

"Yes, she's right here. May I ask who is calling? Ok." Phoebe held the phone out to Monica and she took it from her.

"Who is it?" she asked her.

"She says she's a nurse at some hospital."

"This is Monica Bing. Yes, that's my husband." She spoke into the phone as everyone else watched her. "Oh my god. Is he ok? No. I will be there as soon as I can. Thank you. Bye."

"What was that about?" Ross asked.

"Are you still here?" Joey looked back at him. "Aren't your five minutes up yet?"

"Joey, stop." Rachel told him, seeing Monica's face. "Mon, what was that phone call about?"

"Chandler," was all she said.

"What about him?" Phoebe asked.

"You owe all of us and Chandler a huge apology," Monica started towards Ross with rage in her eyes and Joey held her back. "He has been in a coma for the past six months. They didn't know who to contact because they couldn't find any ID on him."

"But is he ok?" Joey asked.

"They said they'd explain everything when I got there." Monica told them. "I have to pack our things."

"I'll help you," Rachel followed her and Joey pushed Ross out of the apartment as he protested.

"We can't stop you from coming with us," Joey told him. "But you had better be prepared to apologize to Chandler. Because he will know that one of his best friends thought that he would abandon his wife and unborn child."

Joey slammed the door and went to go see if he could help everyone else. He walked into Monica's bedroom after picking Cassidy up out of the bouncer and saw the three of them sitting on the edge of the bed as Phoebe and Rachel held Monica.

"I knew there was a reason why he didn't come back," Monica was saying. "He'll be so disappointed that he missed his daughter's birth."

"Once he sees her, he'll be so happy." Rachel told her. "And he'll be happy to see you, too."

"You're right." She stood up. "I need to pack. And pack some things for Cassidy."

"I can pack her things if you want." Joey told her.

"I'll help him." Rachel went with Joey as they walked out of the room.

"And I'll help you," Phoebe told Monica as she pulled some luggage out of the closet.

"Thank you," Monica told her. "I don't know what I'd do without any of you guys."

"You'll never have to find out." Phoebe stood back as Monica got into organizing mode and called the airline for the next flight out to Texas.

**AN: **So what'd you all think? Please R&R!


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: **Here's a new chapter for you guys. Hope you enjoy it. I'll be working on the latest chapter of My Life the next few days to try to get it up before the weekend is over. Anyway, please R&R!

**Disclaimer: **I own no one. They all belong to Bright/Kauffman/Crane.

**Chapter 3 **

Monica was dozing in her seat on the airplane that was taking them to Texas. Cassidy was secured in the seat beside her and was dozing in the car seat. Joey was on the other side of Cassidy also sleeping. Rachel, Phoebe, and Emma were in the seats behind them. But Ross was on the other side of the plane. He had decided to go with them, but no one wanted him to. So he got a seat far away from everyone. They all slowly awoke and sat up as the flight attendant announced that they would be landing soon.

Monica gathered Cassidy's diaper bag as everyone prepared for the landing. They all walked down the terminal and grabbed their luggage at baggage claim and went to hail a couple cabs. Monica immediately wanted to go to the hospital to see Chandler, so they took all their luggage with them. Monica went to the floor that the nurse told her on the phone and she approached the nurse's station.

"My name is Monica Bing. My husband-"

"Chandler Bing," she smiled at her. "We weren't sure if we'd be able to keep him calm when he woke up again."

"What do you mean?"

"We should talk privately." She led them all into a private room and they all sat down in the chairs as the nurse opened up a chart.

"What's going on?" Monica asked. "Is my husband ok?"

"When he first woke up, I told him he'd only been out for a few weeks. I didn't want him to know too much too soon. So we kept anything that could tell him the date away from him."

"That was probably a good idea."

"But last night around suppertime, he was able to convince one of the nurses to give him a newspaper. She had just gotten on duty so we didn't have time to tell her what was going on."

"And how did he react when he found out the actual date?" Joey asked.

"He started panicking," she told them. "To the point that we had to give him a sedative."

"And what about his injuries?" Monica asked. "How bad was he hurt? And how did the accident happen?"

"I made a copy of his file for you." She handed her a thick folder. "It'll tell you everything. I'll leave you alone so you can read it. I'm going to go see his doctor to see if it's ok for you to go in yet."

"Thank you," Monica told her as she walked away from them and she opened up the folder. "Oh my god."

"What? How did the accident occur?" Rachel looked at the file with her.

"It was a multi-car pileup. The driver of an eighteen-wheeler lost control and took out four other cars including the airport shuttle that Chandler was in. He was the last victim to be found. He was pinned underneath the shuttle for hours."

"How bad were his injuries when he was brought in?" Phoebe asked.

"They thought he would be paralyzed, but he wasn't. But he had a severe head trauma which is why he was in a coma for so long." She scanned the rest of the information. "They did tests on him when he woke up and everything is fine. He still has to go through rehab, but it shouldn't be for very long."

"That's good," they turned around at the sound of Ross' voice and glared at him.

"You're not going in to see him," Monica stated. "Not until I have the chance to tell him how you reacted when he was gone."

"I understand," he said softly.

"Mrs. Bing," a doctor approached their group. "I'm Dr. Harris. Your husband's doctor."

"I've seen his file. I know what's going on. Can I just see him? It's been six very long months."

"Of course. I'll take you to his room."

"We'll stay with Cassidy." Rachel told her.

Monica slowly followed behind the doctor as he led her into a small room. She approached the bed and smiled at the familiar face she had yearned to see the last several months.

"How long until he wakes up again?" Monica looked at the doctor.

"The sedative should be wearing off soon." He told her before he walked out of the room.

She slowly took his hand in hers and ran her hands through his hair. She felt him squeeze her hand back and she looked at his face as his eyes slowly opened.

"Chandler?" she asked softly as he slowly turned his head to look over at her.

"Monica?" he asked softly. "It's really you, right?"

"I think I should be asking you that, but yes it's really me." She leaned down to plant a kiss on his forehead. "I love you so much."

"Have I really been gone for six months?" he looked at her.

"Yes." She told him. "But I want you to know that I never thought for one minute that you abandoned us. I knew there was a reason why you didn't come back."

"Really?"

"Really." She assured him.

"What about the others? They didn't-"

"Joey never believed that you would leave us. And you know Phoebe; she said she could feel you trying to come back to us."

"And Ross and Rachel?"

"Rachel was a little conflicted, but she knew something must've happened when we discovered the trust fund you set up."

"You found that out, did you?" he gave her a small smile. "What about Ross?"

"Ross thought you had abandoned me." She said bitterly. "We don't let him in our apartments."

"Ross actually thought I would abandon you?" Chandler sat up on the bed a little. "Why would he think that?"

"He brought up when you took off at our wedding."

"But you knew that I wouldn't-"

"I never thought you would leave us."

"Mon, what'd you have?"

"What?"

"Did we have a son or a daughter?"

"I gave birth to our daughter three months ago." She reached into her purse and pulled out a tiny photo album. "Her name is Cassidy."

"Were you alone in the delivery room?"

"Rachel and Phoebe coached me." She assured him.

"Is she here? Can I see her?"

"She's out with everyone else." She stood up. "I'll go change her and bring her in. But I'll send everyone else in so they can see you."

"Hurry back." He told her as she walked out of the room and went to get the others.

Joey immediately stood up once he saw Monica coming back down the hall towards them. Rachel and Phoebe did the same as she reached them.

"He's awake." She told them.

"How is he?" Phoebe asked.

"He wants to see Cassidy." She took her out of the carrier. "I'm going to change her before I take her to see him. You guys go ahead and see him."

"Let's go." Joey started down the hall and the other three followed him.

They peered through the window before they walked into the room. He was lying back on the bed with his head turned towards the window. Joey knocked softly on the door before they walked in and Chandler turned his head and smiled at them as they all entered.

"Hey, guys." He greeted them.

"It's really you," Joe went to him and hugged him tightly.

"Joe, I'm happy to see you too," Chandler said. "But I'm still really sore."

"Right." He pulled back and let Phoebe and Rachel give him hugs as well.

"We missed you," Rachel whispered.

"I'm so happy to see you guys." His smile disappeared when the door opened and Ross came in. "What are you doing here?"

"I-" Ross started.

"I can't believe you would think for even a minute that I would abandon Monica and our unborn child?" he narrowed his eyes. "I may have had a minor freak-out moment when we were getting married, but I am definitely over it now."

"Chandler-"

"Especially when after you and Phoebe found me, when we thought it was Monica that was pregnant then instead of Rachel, that I got that baby onesie in the gift shop-"

"I know. I was an idiot to think-"

"I don't want to hear it, Ross. Just get out of here."

"But-"

"He said get out." Monica came in carrying the baby seat. "Leave now or I will go get security."

"Fine." He left the room and Monica set the carrier on one of the chairs and lifted the baby out of it and took her to the bed.

"Chandler, this is Cassidy Michelle." She laid her in his anxiously awaiting arms and climbed onto the bed beside them. "Cassidy, this is your daddy."

"She's really here." He smiled down at Cassidy as she looked at him with wide eyes. "She looks just like you."

"Not completely." She smiled at him. "She has your eyes, and she looks just like you when she smiles."

Joey, Phoebe, and Rachel silently slipped out of the room to give the reunited family a little privacy. Chandler continued to gaze down at his daughter as she started to squirm and cry.

"She's probably hungry. She started getting fussy as I was changing her." Monica went to the diaper bag and got out a freshly-made bottle and brought it back to Chandler. "I think it's time you fed her for the first time."

Chandler willingly accepted the bottle and adjusted Cassidy in his arms so she was more upright. He stuck the bottle nipple in her mouth and she greedily started drinking as Monica watched them.

"You're a natural," Monica told him as he started to burp her.

"Do you think she's knows I'm her dad?" Chandler asked.

"I think so." She sat beside him on the bed again as he got Cassidy nestled in between them. "I think she can sense it."

Chandler continued to watch his daughter in awe as her eyes slowly closed and she fell asleep. He looked at Monica and she was looking at him as she smiled at him.

"I wish I was there from the beginning." He whispered. "I've missed so much."

"You have so much more to look forward to." She assured him. "And I am not leaving until you can come back home with us."

"I love you." He smiled at her.

"I love you, too." She kissed his cheek and she lay down beside him and Cassidy.

Joey, Phoebe, and Rachel returned to the room a little while later and smiled at the sight they saw. All three of them were sound asleep with Monica and Chandler's heads resting against the others' and baby Cassidy nestled in between them on a flat pillow. They all silently walked back out of the room to give them some time to rest.

**AN: **So what'd you all think? Please R&R! Now it's time to work on my other stories for you guys.


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